The other day, one of my clients—an SUV operator—called me. He’d seen some of the ads we were running for his campaign. Specifically, he was concerned about the ad claiming his company offered complimentary wait time. He wanted to remove the claim from his ad because he didn’t offer the service.
We’d been working together for two years, and the ad had been running for some time. I asked him how often it came up as a concern for his clients. I assumed a client has complained that he’d billed them for wait time that should have been complimentary.
He said a conflict had never come up, but that he was concerned about it being a potential issue in the future.
In this post, I’m going to discuss the benefit of offering incentives and bonuses in marketing messaging for limo, sedan, and SUV operators. Keep reading to learn how this strategy can result in more powerful marketing, lower lead costs, and lower client acquisition costs.
What Makes Your Transportation Operator Business Different?
This phone call made me think of a story I once heard. A friend of mine was traveling with his family in Florida and shopping for dolphin tours. All the tours appeared to offer virtually the same thing: a three-hour tour with no guarantee to see dolphins.
On the trip, my friend asked the tour operator how often they don’t see dolphins. The operator said that out of thousands of trips he’d taken, he could only remember one time where they were unsuccessful.
In this case, offering a guarantee could have helped them stand out from the competition while costing the business very little.
This is quite common. A lot of times, business owners make policies for fear of some unlikely negative event happening.
Let’s be frank: most sedan and SUV operators are getting a client from point A to point B.
Now, you likely offer great service with well-dressed and professional chauffeurs. But that’s what every other provider offers. In order to win business, you need to set yourself apart from competitors in the market.
So, the complimentary wait time is an ideal way for my client to do just that.
USPs for SUV, Sedan, and Limo Operators
There are many different unique selling propositions (USPs) limo, sedan, and SUV operators can use to differentiate themselves from competitors.
Here are a few options to get you started:
- Complimentary wait time
- Meet-and-greet at the airport
- Complimentary flight-delay wait time
- Complimentary tolls
- Complimentary changes or cancellations
It’s easy to see the value one or all of these add-ons could bring to your clients. But how do you know which option will be most effective?
The first step is understanding your audience.
Blacklane is a great example of this. They charge a premium price, and it’s almost hard to believe they are able to charge so much.
The first step is understanding your audience.
Blacklane is a great example of this. They charge a premium price, and it’s almost hard to believe they are able to charge so much.
But upon review, it makes sense. Blacklane offers:
- Complimentary meet-and-greet at your airport
- Complimentary wait time
- All-inclusive pricing that covers tolls, tips, and taxes
They took every negative review of their competitors and developed incentives based on what those competitors weren’t offering. Then, they worked those add-ons into their pricing model. The result: a luxury car service offering premium value that solves all the problems competitors don’t.
Before you develop an incentive strategy, be sure to look at the negative reviews on your competitors’ Google profiles. This will give you a unique insight into what your customers value.
Before you develop an incentive strategy, be sure to look at the negative reviews on your competitors’ Google profiles. This will give you a unique insight into what your customers value.
Preventing Loss and Risk
If you state in an ad that you offer complimentary wait time, then it goes without saying you should offer it. However, there are many ways to offer an incentive while still protecting your business.
Let’s discuss a few.
Let’s discuss a few.
Coupon Codes
Offering a coupon code in your ad means that you only offer the incentive to those who apply the coupon code. If you don’t have a book online feature, state in the fine print of your landing page that customers must mention they came from the ad to receive the incentive.
The worst-case scenario is your customers complaining or requesting a refund for their wait time if they neglect to use the coupon or make the request. In this case, you can make the decision to offer them a refund or not.
The worst-case scenario is your customers complaining or requesting a refund for their wait time if they neglect to use the coupon or make the request. In this case, you can make the decision to offer them a refund or not.
Fine Print
Not all offers need to be unlimited. If you’re concerned about clients taking advantage of an incentive offer, add a limitation in the fine print.
This could be a maximum allowable wait time or a first-time-customers-only limit.
This could be a maximum allowable wait time or a first-time-customers-only limit.
Set Yourself Apart From Competitors With Pro Limo Setup Services
Developing a marketing strategy is all about putting yourself in the shoes of your ideal clients. How can your service make their lives easier? And how can you best prove to them that it will?
Here’s a final example: offering a complimentary airport meet-and-greet is a great way to ease a client’s mind. If you’ve just arrived at a foreign airport after a long flight, the last thing you want to do is spend time searching for the pick-up point. This bonus will convince a client to choose your service over a competitor, even if your service is more expensive.
You want the type of client that flies business class, first class, or in a private jet. Those sorts of clients don’t want to be bothered with add-on charges. Think about how you can attract more of those ideal clients.
Here’s a final example: offering a complimentary airport meet-and-greet is a great way to ease a client’s mind. If you’ve just arrived at a foreign airport after a long flight, the last thing you want to do is spend time searching for the pick-up point. This bonus will convince a client to choose your service over a competitor, even if your service is more expensive.
You want the type of client that flies business class, first class, or in a private jet. Those sorts of clients don’t want to be bothered with add-on charges. Think about how you can attract more of those ideal clients.
Having trouble deciding what differentiates you from your competitors? At Pro Limo Setup Services, we specialize in marketing support for limo, sedan, and SUV operators. Our proven track record demonstrates our commitment to providing excellent services to transportation providers all over the country.
Contact us today to learn more about our services,
Contact us today to learn more about our services,